Read Online Echoes of the Heart by Alyssa J. Montgomery - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alyssa J. Montgomery
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around her mouth, and she’d lost even more weight, her fine bones pushing against the thin barrier of her skin.
Alerted to his presence, she jerked her head up and around to face him. The profound despair and vulnerability he saw in her eyes evoked every protective instinct he possessed.
Although she masked her expression quickly, what replaced the initial telling look was even more disturbing. Her beautiful eyes were blank, almost lifeless.
As his gut churned, he forgot his resolution to harden his heart against her. ‘Amanda, what’s happened? Are you sick?’
Shaking her head in denial, her shoulder-length hair covered her face like a curtain. Even her hair had lost its shine and had a dry, brittle appearance. It was no longer a golden halo around her head. Then again, he remembered, she was no angel.
‘Just a bit tired.’ She stood up and swayed.
His arms shot out to steady her and the familiar shock of awareness arced through him. Amanda trembled and he was sure she experienced it, too.
‘What the hell have you been doing to yourself?’ he ground out.
‘I’m okay.’
‘You’re not okay. You look bloody awful.’
‘Thanks for the compliment.’
He could feel the tension in her body. Her breathing was shallow and he guessed she was nervous.
‘Come into my office and sit down before you fall down.’ He opened the door and ushered her inside.
Her legs had always been slender, but now they barely had the strength to support her. She was breathless and wobbly, like a newborn foal, as she sank into the closest chair.
‘I know you’re busy. I’m sorry to arrive unannounced, and I won’t take up a lot of your time.’
The strain and exhaustion of her voice wrenched at his heart and made him want to pull her into his arms and hold her safe against the world. Fool, he berated himself. This is Bennett’s widow.
‘I need a job.’
What?
Caught completely off guard by Amanda’s statement, Jake leant back against his desk, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave her his most penetrating look. She shouldn’t need to work. Bennett would have left her a small fortune.
‘Something secretarial,’ she rushed on. ‘I’m a bit out of practice, but…’
‘You expect me to believe you need a job?’
‘I do need a job.’
‘Why?’
She broke eye contact with him and started wringing her hands in her lap. ‘The usual reason. I need money.’
Questions filled his brain as he absorbed that statement. ‘As Bennett’s widow, you must be very wealthy.’
‘Lloyd didn’t leave me anything.’
Shocked, he stared at her. Was she telling the truth? She needed money?
There was no resentment in her voice, just a simple statement of fact. That didn’t add up. She’d married Bennett for his money. Why wasn’t she outraged if she’d ended up with nothing?
Confused by her calm reaction, he considered it for a few moments before summing up, ‘You need money to contest the will.’
‘I’m not contesting the will.’
No way! She had to be after money. That was what her marriage had been all about.
‘Who did he leave the money to?’
‘His sister.’
‘You marry a man for his money, he leaves you nothing, and you’re not contesting the will?’
‘Jake —’
‘You’re content to let Fiona have Bennett’s fortune, even after the way she treated you at his funeral?’
Her sigh was impatient. ‘At the time of the funeral, the will hadn’t been read. Fiona didn’t know the money was hers. That’s why she was so angry with me.’
‘You think her anger was all about the money?’
‘Yes. Primarily.’ She wrung her hands. ‘She always resented me. Look —’
‘I find it hard to believe you’re prepared to give up on Bennett’s fortune without a fight.’
The smile she gave him was bitter. ‘Believe what you will, but that’s the truth.’
‘I guess this is Bennett’s way of punishing you for taking lovers during your marriage.’ He watched her grit her teeth, but
Alerted to his presence, she jerked her head up and around to face him. The profound despair and vulnerability he saw in her eyes evoked every protective instinct he possessed.
Although she masked her expression quickly, what replaced the initial telling look was even more disturbing. Her beautiful eyes were blank, almost lifeless.
As his gut churned, he forgot his resolution to harden his heart against her. ‘Amanda, what’s happened? Are you sick?’
Shaking her head in denial, her shoulder-length hair covered her face like a curtain. Even her hair had lost its shine and had a dry, brittle appearance. It was no longer a golden halo around her head. Then again, he remembered, she was no angel.
‘Just a bit tired.’ She stood up and swayed.
His arms shot out to steady her and the familiar shock of awareness arced through him. Amanda trembled and he was sure she experienced it, too.
‘What the hell have you been doing to yourself?’ he ground out.
‘I’m okay.’
‘You’re not okay. You look bloody awful.’
‘Thanks for the compliment.’
He could feel the tension in her body. Her breathing was shallow and he guessed she was nervous.
‘Come into my office and sit down before you fall down.’ He opened the door and ushered her inside.
Her legs had always been slender, but now they barely had the strength to support her. She was breathless and wobbly, like a newborn foal, as she sank into the closest chair.
‘I know you’re busy. I’m sorry to arrive unannounced, and I won’t take up a lot of your time.’
The strain and exhaustion of her voice wrenched at his heart and made him want to pull her into his arms and hold her safe against the world. Fool, he berated himself. This is Bennett’s widow.
‘I need a job.’
What?
Caught completely off guard by Amanda’s statement, Jake leant back against his desk, crossed his arms over his chest, and gave her his most penetrating look. She shouldn’t need to work. Bennett would have left her a small fortune.
‘Something secretarial,’ she rushed on. ‘I’m a bit out of practice, but…’
‘You expect me to believe you need a job?’
‘I do need a job.’
‘Why?’
She broke eye contact with him and started wringing her hands in her lap. ‘The usual reason. I need money.’
Questions filled his brain as he absorbed that statement. ‘As Bennett’s widow, you must be very wealthy.’
‘Lloyd didn’t leave me anything.’
Shocked, he stared at her. Was she telling the truth? She needed money?
There was no resentment in her voice, just a simple statement of fact. That didn’t add up. She’d married Bennett for his money. Why wasn’t she outraged if she’d ended up with nothing?
Confused by her calm reaction, he considered it for a few moments before summing up, ‘You need money to contest the will.’
‘I’m not contesting the will.’
No way! She had to be after money. That was what her marriage had been all about.
‘Who did he leave the money to?’
‘His sister.’
‘You marry a man for his money, he leaves you nothing, and you’re not contesting the will?’
‘Jake —’
‘You’re content to let Fiona have Bennett’s fortune, even after the way she treated you at his funeral?’
Her sigh was impatient. ‘At the time of the funeral, the will hadn’t been read. Fiona didn’t know the money was hers. That’s why she was so angry with me.’
‘You think her anger was all about the money?’
‘Yes. Primarily.’ She wrung her hands. ‘She always resented me. Look —’
‘I find it hard to believe you’re prepared to give up on Bennett’s fortune without a fight.’
The smile she gave him was bitter. ‘Believe what you will, but that’s the truth.’
‘I guess this is Bennett’s way of punishing you for taking lovers during your marriage.’ He watched her grit her teeth, but
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